Second Chances
by TheTruthIsInsideOfYou
Summary: Response to challange by Reptillia28. Harry dies at 17 confronting Voldemort. He is given a second chance at life by his death. He fixes past mistakes and finds his soul mate. H/Hr. Manip Dumbledore Weasley Bashing.
1. Meet Darren, The Reaper

**A/N: All right, I know I promised I would have this story out soon, but it seemed off to me. I couldn't take it the direction I wanted because I had made several key mistakes in the first two chapters. I tore it down and decided to rebuild it. Here goes take two of Second Chances. I don't own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling is the woman who does.**

Harry woke up feeling really disoriented. The last thing he remembered was going to face Voldemort in the Forbidden Forest and then nothing. '_Wait a minute, did I die? Where am I?_' He stretched out his stiff limbs and looked around, realizing he was in what looked like a muggle doctor's office. It had a red and gold carpet and dark red walls. It looked vaguely familiar, as if he had been there before. There was a fleeting memory that passed, him as a young boy, looking around this room. He shook his head, now mildly confused. He then looked down and noticed that he was wearing robes quite similar to his school ones, but with the Potter crest where his house patch usually rested. He looked around again and saw a pale girl, looking to be about his age at a desk covered in files.

"Hello, can you help me?" Harry called out to her. In response, she looked over at him, recognition glimmering in her eyes.

"Yes, one moment please. Darren, err Mr. Reaper will be with you shortly. He's going to blow his stack this time. It will be your seventh visit to his office." she replied smiling at him.

'_It's my seventh visit here. Where is here? Wait did she say Mr. Reaper? Am I dead? Crap. I hope Hermione's doing okay_.'

"Am I-" he began, looking at the pale girl.

"Hello sir, my name is Mr. Reaper. I am here because you have-" Darren's eyes widened as he looked towards his face. "MR POTTER! Oh no not again! First your cousin pushed you down the stairs when you were two, then the confrontation with Voldemort the first year. Then the Basilisk HAD to KILL YOU! And in third year you had to FALL OFF YOUR BROOM and get your soul destroyed by a Dementor! Do you know how much work that caused me, trying to get your soul back from a Dementor." He paused, drawing breath,

"Of course THAT wasn't enough for you. Then you had to get POSSESSED by VOLDEMORT! Let's not even mention the Inferi. What will I do with you boy?" He yelled all of this quite fast all the while steering Harry towards his office. Harry looked bewildered and a little scared. This was the seventh time he'd died.

"Wait, so I've died seven times? How did I make it to seventeen, then? What was my life supposed to be like?" Harry asked feeling rather scared as he sat in the chair opposite Darren

"Well, the first SIX TIMES we simply sent you right back with no memories of here. But this time is different. You were supposed to have defeated Lord Voldemort at 17, BUT NO, YOU DIED! NOW EVERYONE WILL SUFFER BECAUSE OF YOU. The world will go into unimaginable darkness. As for the rest of your life, you should have lived for two hundred years and found your SOULMATE, she was some Granger girl. BUT NO! YOU HAD to get yourself killed by Voldemort! You are THIS CLOSE from getting me fired! EVERY TIME you come back here I GET A BLACK SKULL ON MY RECORD. NOT A GOOD THING!"

He was breathing heavily and looked as if he was struggling to contain his temper.

"Wait, what? Hermione is my soul mate? What about Ginny?" Harry asked, slightly confused. But even as he said it, it began to make a little, no make that a lot, of sense. Hermione was the only one who believed him about the whole TriWizard tournament. She had gone back in time with him to help free Sirius, and she had got him to stop mourning his death and taking it out on others. '_But she's like my sister._' A little voice told him, but it didn't sound too convinced.

It was as though he knew everything he said and thought here would be true. Harry wondered if he wasn't simply having a hallucination or vivid dream, caused by the rebounding of a curse or something. This simply could not be real.

"Yes, Hermione was, and still is your soul mate." He stopped and waited for this piece of information to sink in. He watched as Harry's expression changed from confusion to elation to slight anger.

"And until Mr. "It's For The Greater Good" Dumbledore and the redhead Matron decided you needed to be controlled by feeding you a love potion in third year you were about to admit you fancied each other. She liked you. Hell, she loved you, she still does. She always will. Unfortunately for the both of you Mr. "I'm Too Jealous" Ronald Weasley had to slip her a potion as well starting after the Yule Ball. A blind man could see the feeling you two had for each other. If he had just waited one more day, I might not even be wasting my time talking to you again!"

"What! They would never do that. I don't believe you!" Harry defiantly yelled, but even as he said it he could feel the truth ringing in every word.

"Have it your way. But she was slipping you the potion. I don't lie to you kid. I couldn't lie, even if I tried. Being here prevents me from lying to one of my charges."

"There's no way Ginny fed me a love potion! And Ron gave Hermione one! You've got to be kidding me! They were like our family."

"Don't you find it odd that they were going about in a MUGGLE train station, referring to Wizard terms and blatantly disregarding blending in? Not to mention the fact that they had put two kids through Hogwarts. Why didn't you meet anyone else before them, like Miss Granger, for example? Didn't you find it odd that Dumbledore isn't as golden as he wants everyone to believe. He's a master manipulator."

"Hell, kid think. When has Ron not been jealous of you? And didn't Ginny have a crush on Harry Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lived before she met you? Isn't it odd that you fell for her? Tell me, do you know anything about her. Her favorite color, per say?" Darren smiled wryly.

Harry began to think. '_Well he's right about Ron. He was pretty jealous about me the whole time. Even when I first met him. His first words when he found out I was Harry Potter, "_Do you have the, the scar?"_No matter what I did to be nice to him, he found a way to make himself jealous. He's even jealous of the money that I only have access to because my family is dead!'_

'_And Ginny. What is her favorite color?... Good question. Hermione's is purple, I'm quite sure of that. What do I really know about Ginny? Umm. She's a good snog. Her hair is the same color as my mom's. Did I ever really talk to her before sixth year? Hmmm. I guess Darren is right_.' Harry's face rapidly began to change from disbelief to anger. He was steaming when he finally spoke again. His normally calm and slightly pale visage was now bright red and tight. He felt power radiating off from him. He couldn't believe people he'd trusted so willingly would just, would just use him.

"How long had she been giving me one? And Dumbledore knew? He told her to? What the hell!! I trusted them, I thought of them as my family. What else did Dumbledore do?" Harry screamed, now close to tears. He felt anger begin to well up inside of him at his former headmaster.

"Do you really want to know kid?" At Harry's affirmative nod, he began again.

"Ginny and Molly began to give you the potion the summer before fourth year. When you asked for the food to get you through the summer, they got the perfect opportunity. No Hermione to interfere, either. They want your money to restore the Weasley name to its former "glory". Dumbledore didn't think it was needed until your sixth year. He saw you grow too independent after Sirius died."

"Umm. Excuse me. You said something about Head of House status? And my parents had a will?"

Darren started out unsure." Of course your parents had a will. They knew they would die, the question was who and when, not if. They specifically state that you were to go to Sirius, Remus, or in the event that those two could not fulfill guardianship, Severus Snape. Never did they want you to go to Dumbledore, the Weasley's or Vernon and Petunia. However, his fame meant they would listen to whatever he said."

At his words Harry began to violently shake and had trouble containing his anger until Darren went on, "Your first day at Hogwarts on was by his plan, except for your befriending Miss Granger. Meeting the Weasley's at 9 ¾ was planned by him. Also, he blatantly ignored your parents' wills. You were never, under any circumstances to be placed with or near the Dursley's. Not to mention the fact that he didn't take you to claim your Head of House status at 15, as you should have. Just forget about that for now, I'll explain it later, I promise. This is the last time I can have you here. If you die once more I can get fired." He shot Harry a slightly pitying, yet still frightening look.

"The will of your parents specifically stated you were not to go to Petunia and Vernon under ANY circumstances. But Dumbledore went and played the "I'm Dumbledore" card and got away with it. Their will hasn't even been read yet. It has some pretty interesting things in it, the kind that will help Sirius out, if you know what I'm saying."

"Sorry sir, it's not the greatest time to be asking you, but what do you mean that this last time? Am I going on to heaven? Will I be able to see my mom and dad and Sirius?"

"No." he said, momentarily giving Harry a look of pity.

"Look, I'm getting tired of having to recall you, I have a proposition. You can go back to a time of your choosing. All you have to do is sign this contract. It's somewhat simple; you go back, put the wrongs right and live happily ever after. It's a lot harder than it sounds. No one can know or suspect you're from the future or you could irreversibly damage time. I'll give you one advantage. This time you'll get to remember everything. The past few times you've just been sent back after we explained everything and wiped your memories of this. However, you must not tell anyone. No matter what or who. If you do, it will nullify the contract and you will instantly be sent back here, to work cases such as these for all eternity."

"I can- I can go back? But when should I?" Harry asked, more to himself than Darren.

"I mean I sure don't want to relive all of my childhood, but I want to change things. I want to maybe meet Hermione first. Or should I go back to fourth year so I can prevent Cedric's death?" Harry was very pensive. This could change everything. He could re-do his entire schooling. But maybe he would be too suspicious if knew all the spells from first to sixth year. He thought about preventing Cedric's death. And the love potion. Not to mention he would the perfect excuse to stop being friends with Ron around Halloween. Or he could re-do Sirius' escape. He could potentially change everything, resulting in a completely different world.

"I think I should warn you, though, if you change a big event it could alter the future. Let's give an example. If you saved, Cedric, for example, maybe you never would have gone to the Department of Mysteries. You would never have had heard the prophecy and Sirius wouldn't have died. Then you would never have gone to the Burrow for summer break and would never have been given a large dose of Amortentia. Or, if you chose to capture Pettigrew Voldemort might never have returned to rule which would have caused so many problems. So, be careful what you choose to change."

Harry took a serious face, contemplating the words he'd just heard. That was true, on the other hand, however, he could create a totally new reality by changing everything. But then he would face new challenges.

"I think I'll be going to summer after third year." Harry gave Darren a nervous smile and decided to sign the contract. Just after he signed, another question popped to mind.

"Will I ever be able to forget what happened the first time?"

"Well, if you go back with your memories you'll always have them. You could use Occlumency to seal them off behind a shield even you can't break. But, no you'll never be able to completely forget. Unless you can somehow only obliviate those memories. And, Mr. Potter, don't forget to practice Occlumency. It'll come in handy one day."

"Sir, is there anything else I might need to know? Any other amazing revelations to possibly tell me?"

Darren eyed Harry, wondering how he would react to the news he was about to deliver.

"Dumbles placed a seal on your power. He basically limited your power. Now, before you go crazy with rage and try to bust it open you should know this: If you break it at once all the magic now raging in your blood could kill you. I suggest you slowly break it, letting yourself get used to the power a little at a time."

"HE WHAT?!" Harry yelled trying to calm himself. "What does that mean? That I did everything I learned, including the Patronus, with a seal on me?"

"Yes and no. Your seal has certain faults. During times of extreme need, such as when you conjured the Patronus, it was temporarily used. This, in and of itself is unusual. What's more unusual still is that you seem to suffer no ill effects from the limiting of your power."

"How would I remove the seal?" Harry asked uncertainly.

"You would have to meditate and find your magic. Slowly chip away the seal around part of the core. If you work hard, it could be done by the beginning of fourth year. But let no one know, except perhaps Hermione. You'll need her on your side."

"Oh. Okay. I think that's all the questions I have for now."

"You might want to get to know the Potions master, Snape. He could have some information you didn't have last time around. It could change your views of the man." Darren said, smirking slightly. "Mr. Potter, is there a specific time you would like to go back to during that summer?"

"Can I go during July, the 1st, in the morning or would that be too dangerous?"

"I think that could be arranged. Well, now that's done for. I'll be seeing you occasionally, letting you check in. But remember Mr. Potter, no matter what happens you will have to continue on. There is no turning back now." With one last smile from Darren Harry's world faded to black.

**A/N: So, I've re-written it and added a bit. Review please. **


	2. A Question of Potions

Chapter Two: A Question of Potions

**A/N: Sorry it's been so long to update folks. I've been working on writing this out longhand and haven't really had much time to use the computer to write. The conversation with Snape will make sense only after the next few chapters. For now, it will remain a mystery. **

Harry woke up feeling extremely tired. It was as though he'd just been through an extremely long journey and got hit with a bowling ball. A bludger is more like it. His head was killing him, but that was to be expected after his- well he didn't exactly know what to call it, time travel? Soul travel? It didn't matter. What did matter though was that it had worked. He was now in his old, well young fourteen-year-old body. He shook his head, trying to clear his confusion away. '_Might as well stay up and do something useful. Like plan what the heck I'm going to do now.'_ He thought to himself as he kicked his bedclothes and sheets off and stood to stretch. Finally he chose to look at his alarm clock. 6:00 am. It was too early to do anything really important. He might be able to write a letter or two to Sirius and Hermione and perhaps work on Occlumency.

No one would think to look at a muggle sheet of paper when he was at Hogwarts or anywhere in the magical world. Well, everyone but Hermione that is. The first thing to do was obviously not go to the Weasley's house this summer and avoid Ron at school. Perhaps spend time with a certain bushy-haired witch? Yet, he still needed to see the Quidditch World Cup and spend time with Hermione without the Jealous One and the Potions Mistress around.

Obviously, he needed to write to her and see if it would be alright to spend a week or two with her, if she wasn't on vacation with her family. He could just write "_Hey, I think Ron and Ginny are trying to poison us. Can I stay?"_ She'd think he was going crazy. No it had to be a far better and much more subtle way to ask her. He sat down and tried to put words on his piece of parchment.

_Hermione,_

_I was wondering if perhaps it would be possible, maybe for me to stay with you for a week? The Dursley's are acting near unbearable with the lack of food. Plus, I've been having some trouble on my Potions and Transfiguration essays. I don't understand how you would begin to create an antidote and it's frustrating me. I hope it doesn't seem too weird that I'm doing my homework early, but I haven't had much to do or anyone to talk to recently. I'd completely understand if you didn't want to spend your summer looking over my work as I suspect you've already finished yours._

_With Love,_

_Harry J. Potter_

_P.S. Please call me with your reply._

He looked over the paper and felt as if it was good enough. Hedwig looked at Harry, almost expecting him to give her the letter.

"Hang on girl. I've just got to write one to Sirius then you can take em." Harry watched as Hedwig nodded, almost as if she understood what he was saying. He got up and walked to the floorboard. The food was there. Almost untouched too. He might able to do something about it yet. He could send a letter to Sirius and claim he felt funny when he ate the food. And ask him for some advice about asking out Hermione. Even though he knew they were soul mates, he was still a teenage boy. Clueless when it came to girls.

_Padfoot,_

_I've missed you in the short week since I found out you were my Godfather. It was really good to meet you, kind of like a connection to my parents. I-I was wondering if you could tell me any stories about them in school. I know you and my dad were friends at school so I'm sure you have funny stories to tell me about him. Anyways, the reason I was writing, I have a problem. Well two, one I like a girl. Two, she's Hermione, my best friend and the smartest witch in our class. I don't know how to like tell her or if I should. I mean I don't want to ruin our friendship but I really really like her. Also, everyone's sent me food and it seems like when I eat the food Molly sent me I feel really different. Kind of like I like Ginny. I've only ever seen her a few times and it doesn't make sense. Just wondering. Don't tell Dumbledore or Molly though please. I could just be crazy. Anyways, I'm hoping to go see Hermione in this next week. Maybe go see the Quidditch World Cup with the Weasley's too. I'll write soon._

_Love,_

_Prongslet_

Harry looked over the letter and, satisfied with what he had written, gave them to Hedwig. "Deliver Hermione's first girl. Then Sirius." Hedwig hooted in response and took off out the window.

"I might be with Hermione when you find me again girl." He waited until Hedwig was simply a blur on the horizon and turned around to face his room. It was bare, even by Harry's standards. There was simply a desk, a bed and a wardrobe. All of Dudley's possessions had been cleared out when Harry said his mass-murderer godfather might drop by to check up on him. They were afraid that perhaps he would turn them into pigs or bats.

If he would be stuck here for a while, he'd at least be able to have new clothes. He'd go shopping in London today. Take the Knight Bus down and be back before dinner. With any luck Mrs. Figg wouldn't notice him leaving and he'd be free until the end of the day. Harry began to wonder how he would practice Occlumency. He remembered Snape saying to clear his mind and try to block him out of his mind. He could at least try to clear his mind and empty himself of emotions for a bit. Then try to work on breaking his power seal.

Harry sat on the desk chair, breathing deeply and relaxing. He pictured himself in a field with no one around. The sun shining down on him and he then pictured his magic seal. It turned into a black suit around him, restricting his movement and making him feel like he couldn't breathe. As he focused, he concentrated on slowly taking off a glove from his right hand. As soon as it was off, he felt a rush of what can only be described as power coursing through him. He was struggling to control himself and contain it within him. Outside, his room was in pandemonium. The curtains were whipping about and there was seemingly electricity in the air. Harry, however, noticed nothing. In the field he was now a bit taller, standing straighter. It seemed like his mind was becoming clearer, more organized.

"BOY!" Aunt Petunia's voice was like a shock to him. He was jolted out of the mental image and back into his room. Like magic, the atmosphere turned back to normal. "Get down here now!"

Harry looked around wildly, surprised at how light it was outside. Just ten minutes ago it was 6:00. He glanced at his clock, 10 am. No, it wasn't possible, but yet it had happened. He'd just spent about four hours working on slowly removing some of his power seal. He shook himself mentally, that could not have been a wise decision because he had trouble controlling his temper at the best of times, now, with more magic it would be even harder.

"Coming Aunt Petunia!" he called back, exasperated already. He'd only been back in this life for four hours before the Dursleys disturbed him. It figured that those people would never change. He hastily put on his glasses before jumping down the stairs, ready to face anything they would throw at him. He opened the door to the living room and walked in, half expecting to be yelled at. There was no one there but Aunt Petunia, holding the telephone.

"It took you long enough. Come answer the call right now young man. Some FREAK is on the phone for you. Hermon. Hermione something like that." She sneered at Harry and handed him the phone.

"Hermione?" Harry called into the phone, surprised that she would have got his letter already. As far as he knew she lived hours away in Canterbury, Kent.

"Hey Harry," she replied sounding happy to hear his voice.

"You got my letter?" he questioned.

"Letter? What letter? I was just calling to ask if you wanted to come spend the summer over here. I don't know that many people over here since I've started Hogwarts. If you don't want…"

"No, no I'd love to. I just wrote you today to ask if you would mind taking me in for the summer. I do need help with my Potions and Transfiguration essays anyways." And quickly added, "Until Ron contacts me."

"Great! We'll come get you on Saturday. I was hoping you'd say that! We'll have a lot of fun, I promise." She said, gushing with happiness.

"Okay. I have to warn you though; my Aunt and Uncle will probably try to scare your parents. It won't be great fun, coming here." He said, wondering how he missed this in the other time line, she hadn't called, or had she? The last time he was here, today he was out and doing chores around the neighborhood.

"I figured they would." She muttered, getting louder, "Don't worry; we'll be there on Saturday at around 1 pm because Mum and Dad have a dental conference in Surrey so it's really not a problem."

"Oh-okay. I guess I'll see you then."

"Bye Harry."

Harry hung up the phone and shook his head, this had definitely not happened in the last time line. Could it be that he'd already altered the timeline by simply writing two letters and trying to break the power seal? It couldn't be. And yet, it was. Harry ran up to his room, grabbed his wand, a sack full of Galleons and a jacket and stopped by the kitchen for a moment.

"Aunt Petunia, I'm going out all day. I'll be back in the evening. I have some shopping that I have to get done before my friend comes to pick me up." He spoke to her, authoritatively.

She merely nodded and Harry left the house. He stood in the front of the driveway and stuck his wand out, ready for the Knight Bus to appear. About ten seconds and an ear-splitting crack later he was on his way to London. By the time he got to Diagon Alley it was midday and Harry was starving. He stopped at the Leaky Cauldron and had some lunch, Sheppard's Pie and Pumpkin juice. It was the best food Harry had tasted in years. Well, years from his other timeline. The thinking about both timelines was starting to give Harry a headache.

"Thanks Tom." He said, smiling at the bar man. He entered the seemingly dead end and tapped bricks. "Up three, two to the left." He muttered as he opened the passageway into what was arguably his favorite place in the world, other than Hogwarts.

His trip was short, but efficient. He'd purchased an entire new wardrobe and bought his new school texts and dress robes in under two hours. Figuring he had some time left, Harry walked into the Apothecary. He was not at all prepared for what he saw. Severus Snape, the man who he had seen die just about 12 hours ago, alive and buying potions ingredients. He felt his face pale and he immediately avoided his gaze, seeing as he hadn't yet mastered Occlumency.

"Potter, what are you doing here? You're supposed to be with your Aunt in Surrey." Snape said, sounding both surprised and concerned; a new side that Harry had yet to have seen from the potions master, except in his memories with Lilly.

"Sir, I'm here because I needed to get away from them. I couldn't stand the lack of food or horrible company of Petunia so I figured I'd spend the day in Diagon Alley. Is there a problem with that?" Harry asked, now wondering how much, if anything Snape had to do with Dumbledore's manipulations. His gut told him Snape would have refused point blank to do anything to the son of Lily Evans, his one and only love. And yet, he had done nothing in his previous life.

"As displeasing as the company of Petunia Evans and Vernon Dursley are, the Headmaster wishes that you stay with them. It would not do for him to find his favorite student missing without prior knowledge. However, as it is, I have no problem with it. We must simply get you home unharmed and unnoticed by anyone as dull as that sounds to an attention seeking child like you." Snape's eyes were simmering with something as he mentioned the name of Petunia.

"As soon as I finish my business here, I'll escort you home. No ifs ands or butts Mr. Potter."

"Fine." Harry replied, actually amazed at Snape's caring. "Just so you know Professor, I'm not my father. I may look like him but I'm completely different. I didn't ask to be the Boy-Who-Lived, I'm not arrogant and I don't go around cursing people for the fun of it. I would most certainly never brag about my fame as the only reason I'm famous is because I lost my mum and dad. I do have a question though, when brewing an antidote for an uncommon poison that is unknown, how do you start? I don't understand the concept of how one would begin."

Snape's eyes widened at Harry's statement. The boy actually seemed genuinely curious about the answer and though Snape hated to admit it, he was right. The boy was unlike his father. In fact, he was rather like Lilly. "Mr.- Harry, if you've read your potions text, chapter 13, it explains the basics. If after you've read it and still don't understand it you can owl me with your question. "

"But I have read the book sir, it still confuses me. When you know nothing, how can you start to make an antidote? It says to look at the properties to determine how to begin but how would one look at the properties of a poison without taking it? When it talks about properties, does it mean things such as color and texture or smell? I understand how to construct an antidote to a potion when you know the ingredients." Harry said this all very fast and in one breath.

Snape looked bewildered. He would have expected that sort of a question from a sixth year student or Miss Granger, but Harry Potter? Never.

"I-you would have start with the basics of an antidote. The one you learned first year would be an excellent example of a base and modify it based on the size of the person, amount of poison ingested and the time between ingestion and brewing. It also helps to know the color, texture and smell indeed because some poisons are given away by their distinctive smells, textures and vapors. If you'd pay more attention in class, perhaps you would understand the different properties of the ingredients and how they work together." Snape smirked as he said the last part. He carefully picked out his potions ingredients and went to the counter, waiting for Harry to do the same.

"Sir, honestly I try to pay attention in your class, but it seems like you hate me and that doesn't exactly put one in the mood to pay attention."

Snape at least had the decency to look slightly ashamed before speaking. "It's time we take you back to your home. We don't want anyone to be getting worried about the little prince." With this, he grabbed Harry by the arm and apparated them to the park in Little Whinging. They were near a set of swings when Snape waved his wand and cast what Harry recognized as Muffliato.

"Harry, I'm sorry. I've treated you horribly in my classes and I know that. Until now, I simply saw the pampered son of my enemy James Potter and not my best friend's son. Your mother, she was my friend at school until I did something stupid and lost her respect. She refused to speak to me for over two years after that." Harry's mind flashed to the scene where Snape had called his mother a Mud blood. He saw genuine remorse and longing in his eyes.

"Professor Snape, it wasn't your fault. It was my dad's and Lupin's and Sirius'. They should have known better than to do something that stupid." He replied without thinking.

"They should have. But Harry, how did you know about that?" Snape asked pensively, looking Harry in the eyes.

"Lu-Lupin and Sirius told me. You knew my mum?" he asked, pretending to be ignorant to the fact.

"Yes. We grew up together here. We played together in this very park. Tuney never liked it, me or magic. She thought we were freaks because of it."

"Professor Snape, if you don't mind my asking, why the sudden change of heart in your opinion of me?" Harry asked, feeling genuinely curious as to why he was suddenly being so nice to him.

"I-I. Your mother. She was very good with potions. It was one of her favorite subjects. We used to collaborate on every project in Potions. We had quite some ideas back in the day. Let's just say today has opened my eyes to seeing the real Harry Potter. Not James' son, but Lilly's son. You're more like her then you know Harry." Snape said, looking at him in different way than before. It was like he'd begun to respect him.

"Thank you sir." Harry smiled, feeling like he'd just made a useful alley in the fight against Voldemort and Dumbledore. The two villains he'd have to take down both thought that Severus Snape was their man. In reality, he was Lilly's man, doing whatever it took to let her son live.

"Now, come, let's give Petunia a good scare. She'll be frightened at the thought of me coming back to check on you every so often." Snape smiled an evil smile, one that promised pain to the one whom he was talking about.

"Professor, I'm leaving on Saturday to go spend the summer with Hermione. She invited me over today." Harry said, smiling happily at the thought of seeing Hermione in little more than four days. Snape saw the look on Harry's face as he mentioned Hermione; the boy was in love. It reminded Snape of his school days with Lilly Evans, before that dreadful day when he'd uttered the one word that would change his life forever. He'd never tell Harry, but Lilly and he had been a couple at one point during their Hogwarts careers and for a while afterwards. Even before Lilly had married James. Only a handful of people even remembered now, namely Lupin, Sirius and himself.

"Dumbledore won't be happy when he hears about this." Snape said, smirking to himself.

"But you won't tell him, will you?" Harry asked

"Of course not! I can keep secrets when I want to. I am Dumbledore's spy on Voldemort." Snape said silkily.

'_No you're not.'_ Harry thought. '_You're Lilly's man through and through.'_

"Thank you." The rest of the walk to Privet Drive was silent as Harry and Snape were both thinking of the recent conversation and what it meant for their relationship. The house at number 4, Privet Drive looked to be almost empty when Harry and Snape returned. Neither Dudley nor Vernon was home.

Harry was about to enter when Snape rang the doorbell, patiently waiting for Petunia to answer. He had a smirk on his face, the kind he used to have when he would bully Harry. _What could he could be wanting to do now that would give him pleasure, having to do with his Aunt Petunia. He knew they didn't get along as children, but not how much they didn't get along._

The door opened a few seconds later revealing a nervous Aunt Petunia. As soon as she saw Snape, her face whitened and her eyes got bigger with shock.

"You!" she snapped at him, fury evident in her voice. "What are you doing here?"

Severus smirked, evidently happy at her expression. "I'm here to check on the welfare of one of MY STUDENTS. The headmaster ordered me to check on him; apparently he's one of the thinnest children at the school every year. Now, now Petunia, we should know better than to feed him scraps to a child."

"I fed that BOY as much as we could afford to. He doesn't deserve as much as Dudley because we never asked to be landed with him." She replied, trying to sound dignified.

"You could have asked Dumbledore for more money woman! I'm sure that we'll find Dudley just as thin as Po-Harry then. Or did you feed him more than Harry, just to state that HE was better than Harry for the mere reason that Harry was your SISTERS son. Or did it have to do with the fact that you couldn't go to Hogwarts as well?" Snape was speaking each word with deliberate precision, a sure sign that he was beyond mad; furious was more of his mood now. The last time he had seen Snape like this was when he had seen the memory in the Pensieve.

"I-I," she sputtered, "You have no right to be here!"

At that moment, however, the phone rang, causing Snape to jump and Aunt Petunia to run back into the house. Harry followed her inside with Snape on his heels.

"Hello?" she called into the phone, her face tensing as she heard the speaker. "No one by the name of Harry Potter lives-" She said, freezing as she tried to hang up the phone. Snape had his wand pointed at Aunt Petunia. She found herself in a body-bind curse.

Harry quickly walked to the phone and picked it up. "Hello?"

"Harry?" a voice asked. One that made his face light up with joy.

"Hermione?" he exclaimed, now grinning like an idiot. "How are you?"

"Good. How are you? Did your Aunt give you any trouble?"

"Fine. Fine. No, she didn't. So, why are you calling again?"

"I'm answering your letter silly. We'll be there on Saturday." She replied, smiling.

"Oh-okay! I can't wait! Should we expect you around dinner then?" he asked feeling happier by the minute.

"I think around noon. Mum and Dad are so happy to meet you. Apparently you're all I talk about in my letters home. I did finish the homework, but I'd be more than happy to help you with yours."

Harry smiled, feeling excited at the thought of homework for once.

"Mr. Potter, as much as I'd like to stand around here all day, I've got more important things to do. If you would please be so kind as to get off the phone we can straighten this all out and I can leave this disgusting muggle hovel." Snape drawled silkily.

"Is that Professor Snape?" Hermione questioned.

"Err. No, I've got to go. I'll see you on Saturday Hermione." He replied hurriedly, hanging up the phone.

"Sorry sir. I quite forgot-" he replied, feeling slightly stupid.

"Thank you. Now that the savior of the Wizarding World is done we can get to business. Tell no one you're leaving most certainly not Weasley of Dumbledore. As much as I hate to say this, Black ought to know." He said, now turning to Petunia, "You treat him better or I shall find out. You won't like what will happen if you don't. I must be off; I have much torture to inflict upon muggles like you." Snape replied, flicking his wand and wearing a murderous smirk on his face.

"Bye sir." Harry said

"Goodbye Mr. Potter." With that, Snape turned on heel and disapparated.

**A/N: Was it good, bad? Please review and tell me what you thought. It will be most helpful for the upcoming chapters.**


	3. Conversation

**A/N: It's been way to long since I've updated and I'm sorry but life got in the way. Anyways, I still don't own Harry Potter no matter how hard I wish to….**

Severus Snape was a feared man; some would call him the most feared man in Hogwarts. His subject was the most feared and hated. There were reasons for this, the number one being that his students were working with potentially deadly ingredients and he was not a person to take student safety lightly. He was in the Leaky Cauldron eating lunch before going to deal with business for Dumbledore when a chief annoyance caught his attention. Potter was here. He had left his relatives and disregarded his safety for his own personal gains. Typical of the attention seeking brat, he thought.

"Stupid Potter brat," he muttered under his breath, "the boy will be the death of me yet." He followed him into Diagon Alley and quietly disappeared into the darkness, subtly placing a tracking charm on the boy. He followed Harry on what seemed to be a shopping spree. The child clearly had no sense about money or he would not be spending his entire bag of galleons on frivolities like dress robes and a new wardrobe. Wearing rags, like he needed new clothes. No, Prince Potter probably had a ton of clothing in his house; he would have spent every penny he could on new clothing; though the signs before his eyes, which he refused to see, clearly said otherwise.

Surprisingly, Harry went into the Apothecary. Severus followed and cancelled his Disillusionment charm. Harry turned around, seemingly surprised to see the feared professor. His reaction spoke of something other than a fear of running into him at the Apothecary. Something was not right with Potter. He was avoiding eye contact and turned away far too quickly.

"Potter, what are you doing here? You're supposed to be with your Aunt in Surrey." He spoke with as much disdain as he could, however he could not stop the caring that came through his voice. Lily's son; the thought suddenly rang in his head. Unexplainably it was almost as if he could feel her nearby. That wasn't possible.

"Sir, I'm here because I needed to get away from them. I couldn't stand the lack of food or horrible company of Petunia so I figured I'd spend the day in Diagon Alley. Is there a problem with that?" Harry replied, still sounding shaken and perhaps a bit angry and bitter.

"As displeasing as the company of Petunia Evans and Vernon Dursley are, the Headmaster wishes that you stay with them. It would not do for him to find his favorite student missing without prior knowledge. However, as it is, I have to take you home unharmed and unnoticed by anyone as dull as that sounds to an attention seeking child like you." Even to Snape his words weren't as full of malice towards Harry as he desperately intended them to be. It seemed as though Petunia still hated wizards and their "freakishness."

"As soon as I finish my business here, I'll escort you home. No ifs ands or butts Mr. Potter."

"Fine." Harry replied. With a measured look at him he began to speak, "Just so you know Professor, I'm not my father. I may look like him but I'm completely different. I didn't ask to be the Boy-Who-Lived, I'm not arrogant and I don't go around cursing people for the fun of it. I would most certainly never brag about my fame as the only reason I'm famous is because I lost my mum and dad. I do have a question for you, when brewing an antidote for an uncommon poison that is unknown, how do you start? I don't understand the concept of how one would begin."

Snape opened his eyes wider and raised a condescending eyebrow. The boy actually seemed genuinely curious about the answer. He didn't seem like a thirteen year old either. His speech had wisdom and self control that he never thought Potter could achieve, certainly not in the two weeks since term had let out. Snape studied the boy. He held himself with more confidence and an awareness of his surroundings that he knew was not present a few short weeks ago. What had happened in that time? And, loathe though he was to admit it the boy was unlike his father. In fact after this question, he was rather like Lily; more than just having her eyes.. "Mr.-Pott, Harry, if you've read your potions text, chapter 13, it explains the basics. If after you've read it and still don't understand it you can owl me with your question," Snape began to look through the Apothecary stores for boomslang skin. He was standing in peace for mere moments before a voice interrupted him.

"But I have read the book sir, it still confuses me. When you know nothing, how can you start to make an antidote? It says to look at the properties to determine how to begin but how would one look at the properties of a poison without taking it? When it talks about properties, does it mean things such as color and texture or smell? I understand how to construct an antidote to a potion when you know the ingredients." Harry said this all very fast and in one breath.

Snape looked uneasy. He would have expected that sort of a question from a sixth year student or Miss Granger, but Harry Potter? Never. He again stored this in his mind. He seems to have knowledge beyond his three years at Hogwarts.

"I-you would have start with the basics of an antidote. The one you learned first year would be an excellent example of a base and modify it based on the size of the person, amount of poison ingested and the time between ingestion and brewing. It also helps to know the color, texture and smell indeed because some poisons are given away by their distinctive smells, textures and vapors. If you'd pay more attention in class, perhaps you would understand the different properties of the ingredients and how they work together." Snape smirked as he said the last part. He carefully picked out his potions ingredients and went to the counter.

"Sir, honestly I try to pay attention in your class, but it seems like you hate me and that doesn't exactly put one in the mood to pay attention." Harry chased him to the counter.

Snape at least had the decency to look slightly ashamed before speaking. Lily would never forgive him for that. "It's time we take you back to your home. We don't want anyone to be getting worried about the Little Prince." With this, money was flung on the counter and he grabbed Harry by the arm and apparated them to the park in Little Whinging. They were near a set of swings when Snape waved his wand and cast what Harry recognized as Muffliato.

"Harry, your mother, she was my friend at school until I did something stupid and lost her respect. She refused to speak to me for over two years after that. Your father," Snape ground out in a voice still filled with a vestige of childhood hate, "he was not a good man towards me…" Harrys mind flashed to the scene where Snape had called his mother a Mudblood. He saw the genuine remorse and longing in his eyes during that memory.

"Professor Snape, it wasn't your fault. It was my dad's and Lupin's and Sirius'. They should have known better than to do something that stupid." He replied without thinking.

"They should have. But Harry, how did you know about that?" Snape asked pensively, looking Harry in the eyes. Another little thing he should not know.

"Lu-Lupin and Sirius told me. You knew my mum?" Harry asked, desperately changing the subject. Snape let him get away with it. Let him think I do not know.

"Yes. We grew up together. We played together in this very park. Tuney never liked it, me or magic. She thought we were freaks because of it." Snape muttered, venom in his voice as Petunia colored his thoughts. Harry nearly smiled.

"Professor Snape, if you don't mind my asking, why the sudden change of heart in your opinion of me?" Harry asked, seemingly curious.

"Your mother; she was excellent with potions. It was one of her favorite subjects. We used to collaborate on every project in Potions. We had quite some ideas back in the day. You reminded me of her in that Apothecary. You're more like her then you know Harry." Snape said, looking at Harry with a new emotion. He did know always really that Harry was Lily's son. It was so easy to see him and think of James though. Now that he had looked, and really seen Harry he knew they were not that different.

"Thank you sir" Harry smiled, seemingly happy about some unknown thing to do with him. Harry looked towards Privet Drive and he seemed to deflate.

"Now, come, I'll return you to Petunia." Snape smiled an evil smile, the one that promised pain to the one whom he was talking about. Before they left Harry suddenly stopped.

" Professor, I'm leaving on Saturday to go spend the summer with Hermione. She invited me over today." Harry said, smiling.

Snape saw the look on Harry's face as he mentioned Hermione; the boy was in love. It reminded Snape of his school days with Lily Evans, before that dreadful day when he'd uttered the one word that would change his life forever. He'd never tell Harry, but Lily and he had been a couple at one point during their Hogwarts careers and for a while afterwards; even before Lily had married James. James had done quite some damage to her one day. Only a handful of people even remembered now, namely Lupin, Sirius and himself.

"Dumbledore won't be happy when he hears about this." Snape said, smirking to himself.

"But you won't tell him, will you?" Harry asked

"Of course not." Snape said silkily.

"Thank you." The rest of the walk to Privet Drive was silent as Harry and Snape were both thinking of the recent conversation and what it meant for their relationship. He was curious about Potter's sudden maturity. Time would tell perhaps. His musings ended as they reached the house at number 4, Privet Drive which looked to be almost empty when Harry and Snape returned. Neither Dudley nor Vernon was home.

As Harry was about to enter Snape rang the doorbell, and patiently waited for Petunia to answer. He had a smirk on his face that did not bode well for his aunt. The door opened a few seconds later revealing a nervous Aunt Petunia. As soon as she saw Snape, her face whitened and her eyes got bigger with shock.

"You!" she snapped at Severus, fury evident in her voice. "What are you doing here?"

Without a second his wand was waved, and he saw what he needed.

"So Tuney, thought you could get away with the treatment of Harry for so long. Surely you knew I was at the school." His cold voice revealed no emotion. To those who knew Snape well though, that was when real fear began.

"I fed that BOY as much as we could afford to. He doesn't deserve as much as Dudley because we never asked to be landed with him." She replied, trying to sound dignified.

"You could have asked Dumbledore for more money woman! I'm sure that we'll find Dudley just as thin as Po-Harry then. Or did you feed him more than Harry, just to state that HE was better than Harry for the mere reason that Harry was your SISTERS son. Or did it have to do with the fact that you couldn't go to Hogwarts as well?" Snape was speaking each word with deliberate precision, a sure sign that he was beyond mad; furious was more of his mood now. The thoughts and memories Petunia was repeating had done no calming. They infuriated him.

"I-I," she sputtered, "You have no right to be here!"

At that moment, however, the phone rang, causing Aunt Petunia to run back into the house. Snape watched as Harry hurried after and he entered closing the door behind him.

"Hello?" she called into the phone, her face tensing as she heard the speaker. "No one by the name of Harry Potter lives-" She stopped, frozen as she tried to hang up the phone. Snape had a grim smile on his face and nodded at Harry.

Harry quickly walked to the phone and picked it up. "Hello?"

"Hermione?" Harry exclaimed, now grinning like an idiot. "How are you?"

"Fine. Fine. No, she didn't. So, why are you calling again?"

"Oh-okay! I can't wait! Should we expect you around dinner then?"

There was something wrong there, Severus was sure. If Harry had, as he told him, plans with Miss Granger, then why was she calling again to confirm. It felt off to him.

"Mr. Potter, as much as I'd like to stand around here all day, I've got more important things to do. If you would please be so kind as to get off the phone we can straighten this all out and I can leave this disgusting muggle hovel." Snape drawled silkily.

"Err. No, I've got to go. I'll see you on Saturday Hermione." Harry hung up.

"Sorry sir. I quite forgot-" he replied, feeling slightly stupid.

"Thank you. Now that the savior of the Wizarding World is done we can get to business. Tell no one you're leaving most certainly not Weasley of Dumbledore. As much as I hate to say this, Black ought to know." Snape spat, now turning to Petunia, "You treat him better or I shall find out. You won't like what will happen if you don't." Snape replied, flicking his wand and wearing a murderous smirk on his face.

"Bye sir."

"Goodbye Mr. Potter." Snape now had work to do. Miss Granger was at the forefront of his mind. Someone had made her forget, but whom? He had an inkling of suspicion that involved the meddling old fool.

**A/N: So yeah, there is the next chapter. I should have another one up soon because Snape won't leave me be. He wants to get his time on stage…. Please review. **


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